On the beneficial effects of sunshine
by Arianna Scribbler
Summary: Combeferre has been studying all weekend. Courfeyrac stages an intervention. Joly is pulled along for the ride. [Modern college AU]


Author's note: Another older one. I'm not super happy with the pacing here, but I'm putting it up for posterity anyway.

Disclaimer: _Les Miserables_ belongs to the estate of Victor Hugo. No money is being made from this work.

* * *

Combeferre scrubbed a hand over his eyes and glanced at his watch. Two thirty in the afternoon. He winced, looking at the amount of work he had left to do. He didn't even want to think about how long it had been since he'd slept - too long, no doubt. He sighed. The end result would be worth all this trouble, but frankly he was having an increasingly hard time remembering the ultimate goal. Med school was all very well, but it had to compete with the growing desire to just call it a day and go to bed. Combeferre grimaced and bit down on his lip, hard. The burst of pain sent a small jolt of energy running through him and he bent back over his anatomy textbook. Sleep could wait until after exams were over.

So fiercely was he concentrating that he didn't hear the first knock on the door. Not until someone called his name from just behind him did he look up, frowning. He twisted in his chair only to find himself face to face with Courfeyrac and Joly, both looking determined. His heart sank. "Whatever you're planning," he began, already going back to his textbook.

"We're staging an intervention," Courfeyrac announced and Combeferre winced. He really should have expected something like this - Courfeyrac seemed to operate under the assumption that anyone who studied more than half an hour a day needed help, preferably in the form of wine, women, and song. It was surprising that he'd talked ___Joly_ into helping, though. Combeferre would have expected Bahorel as a partner in crime, or maybe Cosette. Joly was almost as diligent a student as Combeferre himself.

"I appreciate the thought," he said. "But this isn't necessary."

"Oh? When was the last time you slept?" Courfeyrac asked, for all that he knew the answer just as well as Combeferre himself. "Or ate? Or stood up?"

"I took a walk half an hour ago," Combeferre objected.

"Was it healthful exercise?" Joly wanted to know. "Did it involve fresh air and sunshine?"

"Fresh air and sunshine are overrated," Combeferre said. "And I have a midterm tomorrow. I need to study."

"You have a midterm for a class in which you have 102%," Courfeyrac said, rolling his eyes.

"It's worth 30% of our grade."

"You have a 102% and you know the material backwards and forwards. You had Enjolras quiz you on it last week, remember?"

"Too much studying without a break negatively impacts memory and concentration," Joly added and Combeferre winced. He should have guessed that they'd take this angle. "Cramming has been scientifically proven to be an ineffective method, and REM sleep improves the retention of information."

"I am aware of the science," Combeferre said. "I will sleep tonight."

"But will you remember anything you study now?" Courfeyrac asked. Combeferre opened his mouth to answer and Courfeyrac shook his head. "Don't bother. You don't actually get an opinion in this. We ___are_ staging an intervention and you ___will_ be taking a study break even if that means we stand here until nine tonight arguing about it."

"I admire your dedication," Combeferre muttered, but he sighed and turned around properly to face them. Courfeyrac grinned, recognizing it for the concession it was. "Did you have an activity in mind or were you simply going to harass me for hours?"

"Oh, we have ___plans_," Courfeyrac said gleefully. Joly nodded, looking pleased to have won. Combeferre looked from one to the other and felt his heart sink.

* * *

Courfeyrac looked over at his friend who was slumped in a chair clutching a glass of coke like some kind of lifeline. Combeferre looked more relaxed than he'd seen in weeks and Courfeyrac silently congratulated himself on a job well done. Joly next to them was poking carefully at the burger he'd ordered, checking to make sure it was without even the slightest traces of pink. "So I thought we could go hang out in the park when we're done eating," he said, leaning back in his own chair and taking the last swallow of his drink. "Soak in all that vitamin D and all."

Joly nodded, though he looked slightly hesitant. "The one on 3rd has benches in the sun," he said.

"Sounds like a plan then," Courfeyrac said. "'Ferre, thoughts?"

Combeferre shrugged. "I was informed that I wasn't allowed opinions," he said. Courfeyrac could hear the slight smile in his words and laughed.

"Little things sure," he said. "The park on 3rd or the elementary school, for instance." Joly grimaced at the mention of the elementary school, no doubt already sorting through the various sicknesses going around this month.

"3rd is fine," Combeferre said. "We may as well leave the elementary school to its proper owners."

Joly nodded enthusiastically and Courfeyrac grinned. "All right then! Park on 3rd it is." He nudged Combeferre's leg with a foot and gestured to his nearly untouched plate, "You actually going to eat that?"

Combeferre blinked, shaking himself slightly and straightening. "Yes, yes I will eat," he said, and obediently took a bite. Courfeyrac saw the exact moment when Combeferre abruptly remembered how hungry he really was. His friend started practically wolfing down the sandwich he'd ordered. Joly had apparently decided that his burger wouldn't kill him just yet and was taking much more sedate bites. Courfeyrac reached over and stole a fry from his plate.

When they'd all finished their lunch Courfeyrac insisted that Combeferre share a banana split with him before they could leave. Joly, currently not eating ice cream because he was convinced he was lactose intolerant, watched them and finished his iced tea.

"Well then, off we go," Courfeyrac said as he swallowed the last of his ice cream and flagged down a waitress to pay the bill. Combeferre tried to reach for his own wallet but Courfeyrac shook his head. "My treat," he said.

"I can pay you back," Combeferre said.

"Nope. My treat. You can pay next time."

Combeferre subsided as the waitress brought over the check. Courfeyrac flashed her a bright grin, making her giggle slightly, and slipped a twenty into the bill holder. "You can keep the change," he said, rising. She grinned her thanks, clearing their crumb-filled dishes from the table. "Onwards!" Courfeyrac declared, draping an arm around Combeferre's shoulder and leading him out of the restaurant, Joly on his other side.

The park was only a few minutes away. Courfeyrac kept the pace slow to accommodate Combeferre's tiredness, making a note as he did so to do this earlier next time. Sure enough there were many benches sitting in full sunlight, most of them fancifully decorated by design students with too many final projects and too few ideas. The trio picked one at random and sat down. Courfeyrac leaned back and crossed his legs, enjoying the sunshine. Next to him Combeferre too relaxed, turning his face up to the sky and letting his eyes flutter closed. He gave a deep sigh and Courfeyrac could practically see the tension draining from his body. He and Joly exchanged grins.

Within minutes Combeferre had fallen asleep properly. He slumped sideways, head landing on Courfeyrac's shoulder. Courfeyrac smiled fondly down at his friend and carefully rearranged himself so that Combeferre wouldn't wake with a crick in his neck. Then he leaned back again and started quizzing Joly on his new girlfriend, congratulating himself on a job extremely well done.


End file.
